Canon launches filmmaking clubs in Kenya

Reaffirming its commitment to the filmmaking industry, Canon Middle East, recently announced its support for young, aspiring filmmakers in Africa by backing the 'Youth Film Makers' organisation, an NGO registered in Kenya.

In its initial phase, Canon Middle East will lend its support to the project by donating five Canon HF R306 camcorders to the organisers which will be used for film making workshops at the respective high school clubs. In the long term, the project aims to serve as a platform to significantly boost the emerging film industry in Africa and to develop the next generation of African film makers.

Working together for the common good

The initiative is in line with Canon's corporate philosophy of "kyosei" which emphasizes living and working together for the common good and it marks the company's efforts towards community engagement designed to inspire people's creativity and innovation.

Anurag Agrawal, managing director of Canon Middle East, said, "At Canon, we believe in the power of image, and we are very pleased to partner with 'Youth Film Makers' to foster the cinematic arts amongst the youth in Kenya and across Africa. Through this project we look forward to providing encouragement to the emerging talent in the region and to making a positive contribution to society.

"Canon Middle East expanded its remit to East Africa in 2011 and Africa is an increasingly important region for Canon. We are pleased to extend our support to an exciting initiative that will encourage African youth to express themselves through the creative and effective medium of filmmaking. Developing the skills and competencies of the youth is imperative as they are the future leaders of society and we will continue to explore ways in which we can add value to similar projects across the African markets."

Benson Mwangi, founder of Youth Film Makers said, "We would like to thank Canon Middle East for supporting this project. We believe that by launching filmmaking clubs in high schools as an extracurricular activity we will promote media literacy amongst the youth and empower them to narrate their stories and views of the world. In addition we hope to contribute towards the growth of the film industry in Africa and thereby also help promote employment opportunities for African youth in the years to come."

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